Maharashtra Drought: Jalgaon Loses Crops on 6.45 Lakh Hectares, 7.2 Lakh Farmers Hit; Collector Seeks ₹927.51 Crore Relief
Drought damaged crops on 6.45 lakh hectares in Jalgaon, hitting 7.2 lakh farmers. The Collector has sought ₹927.51 crore; Nashik reports similar losses.
Photo: Christopher Michel / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jalgaon, 2nd November 2026: A failed kharif season has damaged crops and orchards on about 6.45 lakh hectares in Jalgaon district, affecting 7,20,452 farmers, according to the district administration’s assessment. The District Collector has sent a proposal to the state government seeking ₹927.51 crore in financial assistance, the Free Press Journal reported. The request is still pending.
Jalgaon had 7.40 lakh hectares under kharif crops this year, which means poor rain has hit almost the entire sown area. The state has declared all 15 talukas of the district drought-affected.
Where the damage is
| Type of crop | Area damaged |
|---|---|
| Rain-fed (jirayati) crops | 2,52,254 hectares |
| Irrigated (bagayati) crops | 3,10,362 hectares |
| Orchards | 82,435 hectares |
| Total | About 6.45 lakh hectares |
Jalgaon is Maharashtra’s banana belt and a major cotton district, so the loss of irrigated and orchard crops hurts farm incomes well beyond one season. Panchnamas, the on-ground damage assessments, have been completed by the revenue and agriculture departments.
Nashik reports similar losses
Neighbouring Nashik district has sent its own final damage report. A dry spell destroyed kharif crops on 6,44,289 hectares across 3,306 villages, affecting 6,87,065 farmers, and the district has sought ₹658.60 crore, including ₹103.61 crore for grape, pomegranate and other fruit growers.
265 talukas declared drought-hit across the state
On 25 September 2026 the Maharashtra government declared 265 of the state’s 358 talukas, about 74%, drought-affected across 32 districts. That includes 35 talukas in the Pune division, which covers Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara and Kolhapur districts.
Relief measures announced with the declaration include:
- Restructuring of crop loans and a pause on loan recovery
- Land revenue concessions
- Concessions on electricity bills for farm pumps above 7.5 HP
- Waiver of exam fees for school and college students in affected areas
- Relaxed norms for work under the employment guarantee scheme
- Water tankers, fodder for livestock and foodgrains where needed
The actual crop-loss compensation will be decided after district-level assessments, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar said at the time. Sharad Pawar toured drought-hit parts of Solapur, Dharashiv and Beed on 1 November, a day before he was admitted to hospital in Pune.
The weekend’s unseasonal showers in Pune and parts of Madhya Maharashtra will not change the picture much. IMD Pune scientist Dr SD Sanap said the rain will not be enough for rabi farmers or to lift groundwater levels. Read our report on the November rain in Pune district.
Frequently asked questions
How much crop area is damaged by drought in Jalgaon?
About 6.45 lakh hectares of crops and orchards, affecting 7,20,452 farmers, according to the district administration.
How much relief has Jalgaon sought?
The District Collector has sought ₹927.51 crore from the Maharashtra government. The proposal is pending.
How many talukas in Maharashtra are drought-affected in 2026?
265 of 358 talukas across 32 districts were declared drought-affected on 25 September 2026.
